Courageous herself, she could appreciate courage in others, and had I boldly and unequivocally refused her offer and given my reasons, I did not believe she would have dealt hardly with me.
As it was Mamcuna might well say that, having deliberately deceived her, I deserved the utmost punishment which it was in her power to inflict.

At the same time, I was not without hope that when she heard my defence she would spare my life.
By the time we reached the queen's house my escort had swollen into a crowd, and one of the caciques went in to inform Mamcuna what had befallen and ask for her instructions.
In a few minutes he brought word that the queen would see me and the people who had taken part in my capture forthwith.

We found her sitting in her _chinchura_, in the room where she and I first met.

Bather to my surprise she was calm and collected; yet there was a convulsive twitching of her lips and an angry glitter in her eyes that boded ill for my hopes of pardon.
"Is it true, this they tell me, senor--that you have been helping Chimu's wife to escape, and killed Chimu ?" she asked.
"It is true." "So you prefer this wretched pale-face woman to me ?" "No, Mamcuna." "Why, then, did you help her to escape and kill her husband?
Don't trifle with me." "Because I pitied her." "Why ?" "Chimu treated her ill, and she was very wretched.

She wanted to go back to her own country, and she has little children at home." "What was her wretchedness to you?
Did you not know that you were incurring my displeasure and risking your own life ?" "I did.